Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia

My name is Geraldine Joseph, and I live in Ekunde 3 with my family. Our household consists of 13 members—3 adults and 10 children. As a senior citizen, I do my best to support my grandchildren and daughters with my pension grant. As part of the settlement upgrading process, we participated in site analysis and planning sessions with students from NUST. During these sessions, we had valuable discussions about climate change and its effects on our community, such as the increasing frequency of heatwaves and the growing risk of floods. These conversations made us realize how important it is to be aware of climate change for the sake of our health and safety. We learned practical ways to adapt, like planting trees to help absorb water and reduce flooding or taking steps to protect ourselves from the sun to prevent heat-related issues. We also explored ideas about what our neighborhood could look like and how we can make our settlement more resilient to the impacts of climate change. Collab...

My name is Olivia Sililo, and I’m 47 years old. I live in Katima Mulilo in the Zambezi region. My life changed in 2007 when I joined the Zambezi Saving Scheme. Back then, I was unemployed and struggling to make ends meet. I realized that to improve my life, I needed to start saving money. Without savings, it’s difficult to achieve anything important, like having a home or providing for my family. Through the federation, I learned how to save money. At first, I started with small amounts, but over time, those little savings added up. I was able to pay my children’s school fees without worrying, which felt like a huge relief. Eventually, I saved enough to buy a plot of land and build a decent house. After years of living in a shack, I finally had a place to call home. This change made a big difference in my life. I no longer had to borrow money from others or feel ashamed about my living situation. The impact of these changes went beyond just my home. They helped our entire community. ...